Bomb



F. M. THOMAS.

BOMB.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I. 1M8.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

2 SHEETS-QSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. THOMAS, OF CATSKILL, NEW YORK.

BOMB.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. THOMAS, a citizen of United States,residing at Catskill, in the county of Greene and Stateqf New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bombs; andl do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an aerial bomb, and the primary object of theinvention is to providean aerial bomb which will explode above thesurface of the earth, during the flight of the bomb, and scatter acombustible material which is adapted to ignite upon contact'with theair, for incendiary purposes.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to provide an aerialbomb constructed of a pair of connected sections, one of which containsan explosive, adjusted to the bomb structure during the flight ofthebomb, for scattering inflammable or combustible material which iscontained in the second c0111- partment', over'a wide area to set fireto anything which th combustible or inflanunable material strikes andalso to provide means operable during the flight of the bomb to explodethe explosivecharge of the bomb during the flight, and a comparativelyshort distance above the ground, so that the bursting of the bomb willscatter the combustible material over buildings, grain fields, or anyother objects desired to be burned, from above.

With the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists insuch novel Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

Application filed February 1, 1918. Serial No. 214,963.

Fig. 3'is an enlarged fragmentary section through the bomb showing the.mechanism for automatically exploding the explosive charge of the bomb,and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line H of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to. the drawings, 1 ,designates the shell orcasing of the improved bomb, as an entirety, which shell or casing iscomposed of three sections 2, 3 and 4:- The sections 2 and 3areconnected by a soft solder joint 5 and together they form asubstantially conical casing having a pluralty of planes or wings 6attached thereto in any suitable manner as indicated at '7,diametrically opposite of each other for guiding the falling of thebomb.

The sections 2 and 3 are composed of relatively thin metal while thesection 4 is composed of much thicker metal, as clearly shown in Fig. 2of the drawings.

The lower end of the section 3 is provided with a depending annularflange 8 to the inner surface of which is attached in any suitablemanner, such as by soldering, an internally threaded ring 9. The ring 9is threadably connected to an upstanding flange 10 which is formed uponthe upper end of the lower section 4. The lower section 4L is shaped toform a substantially inverted frusto cone, so that its sides will formstream lines, for decreasing to an appreciable extent, the airresistance, during the fall of the bomb. 5

The sections 2 and 3 are filled with for-aminous containers 15 whichcontain a combustible material, containing an ingredient which will beignited on contact with air and a second ingredient which is preferablya'slow burning combustible material which is adapted to be ignited bythe burning of the first named material, which first named material ispreferably phosphorus while the second named material may be of any onel terial contained "within the various recepbustible material over aconsiderable area beneath the bomb, and set fire toeverythinginflammable, which the combustible Iiiaterial from the bomb strikes.

The, bottom 16 of the bomb casing 3 is provided with a central opening17 through which a cylindrical tube 18 extends. flange 19 is formed uponthe lower end of the tube 18 and it is attached to the under surface ofthe bottom 16 of the section 3 of the casing or shell. The jointsbetween the bottom 16. and the flange 19 are sealed to .provide liquidtight joints, 2 and 3 of the casing have a suitable liquid therein, forimmersing the combustible matacles 15, so as to prevent the accidentalignition of the phosphorus or analogous material which is inflammableupon contact 7 with air. It will be noticed in Fig. 2 of the drawings,that the containers 15 are of various sides and shapes,- these sizes andshapes being provided tocause an .uneven distribution thereof upon theexploding of the bomb, so that the larger and heavier of the retainersl5 willfall within a comparatively small region while the lightercontainers will be thrown a greater distance,

provide a liquid tight joint to prevent any liquid which'might escapefrom the section -3 entering the section 4 and consequently destroyingthe explosive properties of the material20. p

The plate 22 is provided with a central opening which is surrounded by adependin flange 23 the interior of which is threaded forthreadedengagement with the upper threaded end of a sleeve 24' 'which extendscentrally through the section 4 and has its upper open end alining withthe lower open end of the sleeve 18.

The lower end of the sleeve 24 is externally screw threaded and isconnected to the internal screw' thread of a sleeve or collar 26 formedupon the apex of the section 4.

The collar 26 is externally screw'threaded as shownat 27, and is adaptedfor detachable connection with a cap structure 28, as clearly 53. Thewire 52 is connected," as shown at shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The cap-structure 28 is carried by the exploding or'firing apparatuswhich explodes the charge 20.

The firing apparatus for exploding the and the sections charge 20includes a vertically positioned feed screw 29', which has a plate 30carried by the upper end thereof and held in place by a pair of nuts 31.A plate 32 is carried by the lower end of the feed screw 29 and it isheld against upward movement by a collar 33 formed upon the feed screw.The I rotation of the feed screw for properly connecting the firingmechanism to the bomb structure.

A pair of bars 36 and 37 are carried by the plates 30 and they havetheir lower ends attached to the plate or disk 32. Percussion caps 38are carried by the bars 36 and 37 and they aline with openings 40 formedin the sleeve 24 so that when the percussion caps are exploded they willexplode-the charge 20 within the section 4 of the bomb for bursting thebomb.

A pair of hammers or percussion striking pawls 41 are pivotallysupported as shown at 42 upon the bars 36 and 37 and they have theirstriking ends positioned for striking and exploding the percussion caps38 upon operation of the hammers or exploding pawls 41. Clasp springs 43are carried by the bars 36 and 37 and engage the hammers 41, as clearlyshown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A follower 44 is mounted upon the feedscrew or rod 29 and is held against rotation thereon by a pair of rods45. The feed screw or feed rod 29 projects beyond the-cap 28 and it hasa propeller 46 mounted thereon.-

The cap28 is provided with an opening 47 extending diametricallytherethrough, which alines with an opening 48 formed in the dependingsmooth end of the feed screw 29 and a cotter pin or key 49 extendsthrough the'openings 47 and 48, for preventing accidental rotation ofthe propeller 46 and the feed rod or screw 29.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the bomb structure is shown held in asuspended position a from any portion of an aeroplane indicated at 50 byany suitable type of hangers 51. Any suitable releasingmeans (not shown)may be provided for releasing the bomb to allow the same to fall, whendesired.

A wire 52 is connected to the head of the pin or key 49 and it is coiledas shown at 54 to any portion of the aeroplane 50 so that when the bomb1 is released, the wire 52 will, since it is connected to the aeroplanedraw the key 49 out of the openings 47 and 48, disconnecting the cap 28and the feed rod or screw 29, so as to allow the propeller 46 to berotated by the air current created by the falling of the bomb. Therotation of the .propeller 46, will since the propeller is keyed orotherwise attached to the rod 29 rotate the rod 29. The rotation of the1 d 29 will move the follower 44 downwardly along the feed rod 29 andduring the downturn explode the charge for bursting the bomb andscattering the incendiary casings or retainers 15 as above specified.

It will be seen that by varying the length of the rod 29 and alsovarying the number of the threads per inch thereof, the speed ofdownward movement of the follower 44 may be regulated to regulate thedistance a bomb may fall before it is exploded so that in this mannerthe bomb may be timed to explode just above the ground, or abovebuildings or in fact be timed to. explode any desired distance above theground this depending upon the regulation of the threads of the screw29.

In the transportation of the bomb, the percussion caps 38 are generallyleft out of their sockets or openings, so as to prevent accidentaldischarge of the bomb. When it is desired to drop the bomb forincendiary purposes, the cap 28 is removed and the firing structure iswithdrawn out of the tubesor sleeves 18 and 24 so that the percussioncaps may be placed in their openings or sockets, after which the firingstructure is inserted in the sleeves and the cap 28 re connected to thecollar 26. The pins 34 which aline with the openings 40 are provided sothat when the firing structure is placed within the tubes 18 and 24,"the percussion caps 38 will be positioned in alinement with the openings40 to insure the operation of the bomb. A thin adhesive sheet indicatedat 56 is placed over the openings 40 to prevent the escaping of theexplosive material 20 from the interior of the bomb, through theopenings 40 and also to prevent the action of the elements uponthe'explosive charge 20, during the time when the firing structure isremoved from connection with the bomb structure proper.

If it,is so desired, a limited quantity of.

cotton may be placed in the containers and ether employed as theimmersing liquid and thus'the cotton which is saturated with ether willinsure the ignition of the slow burning combustible material by thematerial which is ignited upon contact with air.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings the advantages of construction and the method of operation ofthe improved bomb will be readily apparent to those skilled in" the artto which this invention appertains and, while in the foregoingdescription, the

principle of the operation of this invention has been described togetherwith various features of construction, it is to be understood thatcertain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts may be altered to suit practical conditions provided suchalterations are com-' positioned within said casing and provided,prehended within the scope of what is with an opening, a percussion capalining with said opening, a pivotally mounted spring controlled hammerfor exploding said percussion cap, a feed screw within said sleeve, apropeller connected to said feed screw and adapted to be rotated by aircurrents during the flight of the bomb to rotate the feed screw, afollower for movement along said. feed screw upon rotation of the sameto rock said hammer toexplode said percussion cap, and an explosivematerial positioned within said casing about said sleeve. c

2. In an aerial bomb, a casing, a sleeve positioned within said casingand provided with an opening, a percussion cap alining with saidopening, a pivotally mounted spring controlled hammer for exploding saidpercussion cap, a feed screw within said sleeve, a propeller connectedto said feed screw and adapted to be rotated by air currents during theflight of the bomb to ro- .with an opening, a percussion cap aliningwith said opening, a pivotally mounted spring controlled hammer forexploding said percussion cap, a feed screw within said sleeve, apropeller connected to said feed screw and adapted to be rotated by aircurrents during the flight of the bomb to rotate the feedscrew, afollower for movement along said feed screw upon rotation of the same torock said hammer to explode said percussion cap, and an explosivematerial positioned within said casing about said sleeve, and means toprevent accidental r-' tation of said feed screw, a plurality of con- Itainers within said casing, and a combustible material adapted to beignited upon contact with air, carried by said containers.

4. An aerial bomb comprising a shell hav- Iing a plurality ofcompartments, a bursting charge in one of said compartments, perforatedcontainers in the other compartment, material combustible when exposedto 'the air carried by the containers, and means f0 igniting thebursting charge.

5. An aerial bomb comprising a shell hav-' ing a" plurality ofcompartments, a burst- I dental combustion of said material, and

means for igniting the bursting charge.

6. An aerial bomb comprising detachably connected sections, closures forthe adjacent ends of the sections, a bursting charge in one of saidsections, perforated containers in the other of said sections, materialcombustible on contact with the air carried by the containers, and meansfor igniting the bursting charge.

7. An aerial bomb comprising a shell haV-" ing a plurality ofcompartments, a bursting charge in one of said compartments, perforatedcontainers of various sizes located in -the other compartment, materialcombustible on contact with the air carried by the containers, and meansfor igniting the bursting charge.

lie-testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK M. THOMAS.

